Protest against Subansiri Hydroelectric Project rocks Lakhimpur

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: In the wake of the statement made by RK Singh, the Union Minister for Power, regarding the commissioning of the contentious Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHP), a massive protest against the mega river dam project rocked Lakhimpur district on Saturday. RK Singh on Friday in Guwahati said that the SLHP would be commissioned in August, 2022. The statement stirred the hornets' nest.

Strongly opposing the declaration made by the minister concerned, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Parishad (AJYCP) jointly took to the street in Lakhimpur with massive protest programme. In this context, the activists of the both organization burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister for Power RK Singh and Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. The activists of the both organization demonstrated the protest programme at Main Chariali of North Lakhimpur town.

The dignitaries of the organization made it clear that they would never allow SLHP to be commissioned until and unless the life and properties of the people living in downstream of the Subansiri River were secured from catastrophe to be caused by the mega river dam project being constructed by NHPC on fragile land at Gerukamukh. They further alleged that the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the State had betrayed the people of Assam by taking a U-turn from their previous stand regarding the sensitive issue.

Both the organizations demanded the Prime Minister, Union Minister for Power and Assam Chief Minister to hold the tripartite meeting on Subansiri Project issue as the government at the Centre assured in 2014.

On the other hand, AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath, who arrived in Lakhimpur on Saturday, also expressed strong reaction over the statement made by RK Singh. He warned the Union Government that the AASU would not allow to commission the project forcefully by ignoring the public protest against it. In addition to AASU and AJYCP, the activists of the Asomiya Yuva Mancha also burnt the effigies of RK Singh and NHPC opposing his statement.

Also read:   Hold tripartite meeting on Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project: All Assam Students' Union

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